A letter from a soldier in Kuwait

[thedrifter]

Subject: a letter from a soldier in Kuwait

America's Best

A California mother whose son is right now in Kuwait poised to knock Saddam'
s block off, wrote her son asking how he would feel if she joined other
relatives of service members in an anti-war demonstration in Hollywood last
month. After reading her son's response, she elected not to participate.

You can read Navy corpsman Lonnie J. Lewis' full letter, reprinted on
Saturday in the Las Vegas Review Journal......


Saturday, March 08, 2003
Copyright ? Las Vegas Review-Journal
LETTER TO MOM

Dear Mom,
It's really your decision to march if you want to or not. You are the one
who has to decide if what we are doing out here is right or not. My opinion
is not yours.
I do, however, have things I would like for you and Grandma and everyone
else at home to know.
I am a United States soldier. I was sworn to defend my country against all
enemies, foreign and domestic. People may not agree with the things we are
ordered to do. I would like to address those people by telling them that
terrorism is not only a threat to us as Americans, but to many other
innocent people in the world.
What type of country would we be if we didn't defend the rights and freedoms
of others, not because they're Americans, but how about just because they're
human?
We live in a country where people feel secure with their daily lives. They
do business like usual and don't worry about the thought of terrorism
actually happening to them.
The people of 9-11 thought the same thing. We now know that it can happen to
anyone at any time.
Yet as Americans we're afraid of losing our soldiers to defend our security.
I can only speak for myself when I say that my life is an easy expense to
ensure that my family and friends can live in peace.
I strongly believe in what we are doing and wish you were here to see for
yourselves the honor and privilege that American soldiers aboard this ship
are feeling, knowing that we are going to be a part of something so strong
and so meaningful to the safety of our loved ones. Then you would know what
this potential war is about.
We will stand tall in front of terrorism and defeat it. We as soldiers are
not afraid of what may happen. We are only afraid of Americans not being
able to understand why we are here.
I ask for your courage as Americans to be strong for us; I ask for your
understanding in what we believe is right. I ask for your support in what we
are sworn to do: defend our country and the life of all.
We will succeed in our task and will end the threat of terrorism in our back
yard. We will also end the threat of terrorism in our neighbors'.
We have to remind ourselves of what this country stands for: life, liberty
and justice for all. In order to maintain those rights we have to stop the
threat of terrorism.
I am proud to be here. I will be coming home, but not until I know that it's
going to be safe for all Americans and for everyone I love.
My family is first. My country is where they live. I will defend it.

Lonnie J. Lewis
Navy corpsman
C Co. 1/4 WPN PLT
UIC 39726
FPO AP 966139726
P.S. Mom, please send this to everyone who has a hard time understanding why
we are here. Ask the paper to put what I've said in a column so that others
will know why we are here and what we are here for.
I love you all and will be home soon. I left my address so that if anyone
feels like writing to let me know how they feel, they can.



Sempers,

Roger


United We Stand
God Bless America

Remember our POW/MIA's
I'll never forget!

[Boats]

Roger,

I wish we could give this kid a hug. He's right in everyway and he's an example of the service personnel who are committed to protect this country.

Being young and having ideals like this is how we all got through our hitches. Our beliefs in what we were doing then and now seem to be engrained into our person at birth. What I mean by this is this is the true meaning of being an American.

[nang]

It tears my heart out to think that these brave young men and women have to doubt for even a second that we are behind them. My son called me this weekend, we talked for a long time. He asked me a couple of times" Do the people support us?" Don't they know why we're here, to protect our families and our country?"
I did my best to try to gloss over the protestors- that they were a loud minority. It makes me so mad. He shouldn't have a doubt in his head. I'm sorry, but as a Mother I can't imagine asking my son if I could protest the War that he's involved in.That he could lose his life in. But that's just me , I guess. Have to say I shed a couple of tears after I hung up the phone. God Bless these Brave young people.

[reeb]

Very Touching.

No more words expressed here can do more than said.

Hopefully it will be over soon and get out troops back home where they belong, safe, sound, and more than ever WELCOME.

i AM SURE THEY ARE READY, BUT THE un AND gwb AINT.

enough............

[HARDCORE]

Absolutely great sentiment! This is a kid to be proud of, as is all of our forces in the Gulf and elsewhere!!

VERITAS